Does your car have bad odor? Here are some tips we have on how to eliminate that fast and easy!
Find the Source of the Bad Odor
Bad odors can originate from multitude of things. And each source of stink has different method of removal. A few of the common causes of bad odor in your car are mildew, smoke, and food.
To efficiently find the stink source, it is best that you clean your car first. During the cleanup, you will surely find it. In case that after cleaning your car and the smell still lingers, it is possible that the problem is you car’s filters. Old cars have easily removable filters while new ones require some elbow grease.
Use the Optimal Odor Removal Method
Once you find the source of the bad odor, you can now decide which odor removal is ideal to use. Some of the most effective and cheap odor removable methods are:
1. Baking Soda: if the smell is sour and the source is a bit on the acidic side, baking soda is the most cost effective solution. It can also remove smoke smell, especially if it is from cigarette. Dust your car and its upholstery with baking soda. Leave it for a few hours, and vacuum the white powder.
2. Vinegar: if the smell is like ammonia or alkaline, you can leave a cup of white vinegar inside your car overnight. It can also remove a bit of cigarette smoke odor and the smell of urine (pet and kids). If you want to totally eliminate those smells or remove stains, you can wash your car’s upholstery with white vinegar and water solution. Do not worry about the pungent smell of vinegar, it will quickly disappear once you let air in and out of your car.
3. Activated Charcoal: if you cannot pinpoint the smell and its source, you can use activated charcoal. The charcoal will ‘adsorb’ the smell little by little over time. You can leave a container full of activated charcoal inside to keep your car odor in check all the time. If the charcoal stops working, replace it or reactivate it by placing it under the sun for an hour or two.
Employ Preventive Measures
Removing the odor is not the final step to make sure that your car will not stink. You have learned the source of the smell. It is your job to learn your lesson and make sure that it will not happen again. For example, if someone ate inside the car, immediately clean the leftovers, containers, and bits and pieces of food that fell inside your car.
Aside from that, if the weather is humid, be sure to keep your car doors closed and windows up. Letting moist air inside your car encourage mold and mildew growth. On the other hand, if the weather is hot, do not leave food or anything that can easily melt inside the car to prevent stains, spills, and bad odors.
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